Filter and step down ring stucked together!

JimDavis · 11th November 2004

Hi All,

I have my 62/58 step down ring and fixed with my star-8 filter. Tried to unscrewed the star-8 filter out, but failed to do so.

Can someone help to enlighten why is that so, also, any trick to "divorce" these 2 items?

LifeWorld · 11th November 2004

Originally Posted by JimDavis

Hi All,

I have my 62/58 step down ring and fixed with my star-8 filter. Tried to unscrewed the star-8 filter out, but failed to do so.

Can someone help to enlighten why is that so, also, any trick to "divorce" these 2 items?

Oh dear, oh my! This is most feared...... Never screw too tight!!!

The user manual has warned........ Hope the expert would help.

zguy · 11th November 2004

dunno will this work but try tying a rubberband around the filter and then try to unscrew the filter again. the rubberband will provides a better grip.

ParkertR · 11th November 2004

whoa... :S thats ugh... irritating~
okay... i've gotten stuff stuck before... what i did was to hold the to pieces and twist them in jerks to loosen it. don't apply too much pressure... might sound weird but it worked for me

JimDavis · 11th November 2004

Originally Posted by zguy

dunno will this work but try tying a rubberband around the filter and then try to unscrew the filter again. the rubberband will provides a better grip.

Rubberband did not work out well, since the step down ring is very thin, so is the filter.

I am going to try the "jerk" mathod now...any other trick that anyone can share...I am really in desperation now.

spiderman · 11th November 2004

why don't you bring your camera to shops like CP or AP? Maybe the guys there are more experienced and they might have encountered this situation before. Do go to them before you tried anything that might worsen the situation.

Dont worry that you hit yourself on the wall

I hit my head hard too with my purchase of the tripod

tunster · 11th November 2004

prepare yourself a bow of hot water, put the step down ring into the water for 2 or 3 mins (make sure the filter don't touch the water). Try unscrew again.

JimDavis · 11th November 2004

Originally Posted by tunster

prepare yourself a bow of hot water, put the step down ring into the water for 2 or 3 mins (make sure the filter don't touch the water). Try unscrew again.

Sound like a great idea.

Physic works huh?

But, how can I ensure that the filter will not touch the hot water while the step down ring is just a few mm thick?

JimDavis · 11th November 2004

Originally Posted by spiderman

why don't you bring your camera to shops like CP or AP? Maybe the guys there are more experienced and they might have encountered this situation before. Do go to them before you tried anything that might worsen the situation.

Dont worry that you hit yourself on the wall I hit my head hard too with my purchase of the tripod

I think they only know how to sell. Troubleshooting by CP or AP??

Guess not much of a hope, unless someone else can correct my perception about them.

If the worst comes, I will just need to buy another step down ring, with another star-8 filter, no choice liao lor....but still trying hard to figure out how to put the step down ring into hot water while the filter will not get into the water though...

majere2sg · 11th November 2004

At least you don't have a stuck step up ring on a lens.. I used to have a step up ring stuck on my lens, couldn't remove it for quite awhile.. Finally I put a piece of paper ontop of the step up ring, put another filter and turn it tight and finally remove the step up ring from the lens. After that I remove the paper bits by bits and managed to seperate the step up ring from the filter again..

JimDavis · 11th November 2004

Originally Posted by majere2sg

At least you don't have a stuck step up ring on a lens.. I used to have a step up ring stuck on my lens, couldn't remove it for quite awhile.. Finally I put a piece of paper ontop of the step up ring, put another filter and turn it tight and finally remove the step up ring from the lens. After that I remove the paper bits by bits and managed to seperate the step up ring from the filter again..

I will freak out

if I were to be you.

Dennis · 11th November 2004

Try pressing the different side of the filter while turning it out. No need to use force. Filter rings bends easily and sometimes a little force in the correct direction will get it out. The more force you use the worse it may get. Hope it helps out.

tunster · 11th November 2004

Originally Posted by JimDavis

Sound like a great idea. Physic works huh?

But, how can I ensure that the filter will not touch the hot water while the step down ring is just a few mm thick?

Don't field too much water loh....use a dish or something that can only hold a bit of water. Then yourself hold the filter steady.

ParkertR · 11th November 2004

warm water might not work... mmm the filters are thin and metals conduct heat :P heat = expansion... for both.

i'd just try the jerk thing and slowly hope it'll come loose...dont press too hard on the one that is the larger one as pressing hard will clamp down on the other ring, making it harder to twist..

JimDavis · 12th November 2004

Originally Posted by ParkertR

warm water might not work... mmm the filters are thin and metals conduct heat :P heat = expansion... for both.

i'd just try the jerk thing and slowly hope it'll come loose...dont press too hard on the one that is the larger one as pressing hard will clamp down on the other ring, making it harder to twist..

You are right man! I think it is the heat that provides expansion.

I finally managed to got the both of them "divorced" after deciding to put them sleeping with me in my air-coned bedroom for last night.

So, next time if anyone were to face the same problem, just put your 2 items to sleep in the aircon place (maybe fridge??) and they should be able to get separated...hopefully...??

donkuok · 12th November 2004

Originally Posted by JimDavis

You are right man! I think it is the heat that provides expansion.

I finally managed to got the both of them "divorced" after deciding to put them sleeping with me in my air-coned bedroom for last night.

So, next time if anyone were to face the same problem, just put your 2 items to sleep in the aircon place (maybe fridge??) and they should be able to get separated...hopefully...??

Wat a relief JD....after a nite

JimDavis · 12th November 2004

Originally Posted by donkuok

Wat a relief JD....after a nite

Ya lor...I was counting how much more $$ do I have to spend in a more economical way to get either new step down ring, or filter if they still do not want to "divorce" man!

Anyway, this thread provides also an opportunity for the pan-snappers to show how we care for one another.

Really thanks for all those people who contributed.

ParkertR · 12th November 2004

glad for u dude! haha the way u put it sounds... **** though. haha "slept with my filters" lol!

JimDavis · 12th November 2004

Originally Posted by ParkertR

glad for u dude! haha the way u put it sounds... **** though. haha "slept with my filters" lol!

This shows how dedicated I am with all my filters....hahahaha...Anyway, really thanks a lot to all of you....AGAIN!

Neo · 12th November 2004

Here's one tip for separating filters...

Put them between the soles of a pair of rubber soled shoes and twist.... viola... the trick is to apply even pressure around the rims of the filter, so there's no distortion to the rims and it makes it simple to separate them. The grip of the rubber soles also helps heaps.

11th November 2004	#1
JimDavis Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Eunos Posts: 2,734	Filter and step down ring stucked together! Hi All, I have my 62/58 step down ring and fixed with my star-8 filter. Tried to unscrewed the star-8 filter out, but failed to do so. Can someone help to enlighten why is that so, also, any trick to "divorce" these 2 items?

11th November 2004	#10
majere2sg Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Singapore (SengKang) Posts: 2,992	At least you don't have a stuck step up ring on a lens.. I used to have a step up ring stuck on my lens, couldn't remove it for quite awhile.. Finally I put a piece of paper ontop of the step up ring, put another filter and turn it tight and finally remove the step up ring from the lens. After that I remove the paper bits by bits and managed to seperate the step up ring from the filter again.. __________________ -Express yourself not in words- Majere2sg's Digital Photography

11th November 2004	#3
zguy Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 124	dunno will this work but try tying a rubberband around the filter and then try to unscrew the filter again. the rubberband will provides a better grip.

11th November 2004	#4
ParkertR Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Singapore/Thailand Posts: 5,804	whoa... :S thats ugh... irritating~ okay... i've gotten stuff stuck before... what i did was to hold the to pieces and twist them in jerks to loosen it. don't apply too much pressure... might sound weird but it worked for me

11th November 2004	#6
spiderman Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jurong Posts: 308	why don't you bring your camera to shops like CP or AP? Maybe the guys there are more experienced and they might have encountered this situation before. Do go to them before you tried anything that might worsen the situation. Dont worry that you hit yourself on the wall I hit my head hard too with my purchase of the tripod

11th November 2004	#7
tunster Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,438	prepare yourself a bow of hot water, put the step down ring into the water for 2 or 3 mins (make sure the filter don't touch the water). Try unscrew again.

11th November 2004	#12
Dennis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 3,862	Try pressing the different side of the filter while turning it out. No need to use force. Filter rings bends easily and sometimes a little force in the correct direction will get it out. The more force you use the worse it may get. Hope it helps out.

12th November 2004	#18
ParkertR Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Singapore/Thailand Posts: 5,804	glad for u dude! haha the way u put it sounds... **** though. haha "slept with my filters" lol!

12th November 2004	#20
Neo Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 947	Here's one tip for separating filters... Put them between the soles of a pair of rubber soled shoes and twist.... viola... the trick is to apply even pressure around the rims of the filter, so there's no distortion to the rims and it makes it simple to separate them. The grip of the rubber soles also helps heaps.